


Peacemaker

by Jarakrisafis



Series: Isana [5]
Category: Dragon Age - All Media Types
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-12-16
Updated: 2019-12-16
Packaged: 2021-02-26 16:21:12
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,521
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21821149
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Jarakrisafis/pseuds/Jarakrisafis
Summary: "History of Aeducan: Paragon, King, and Peacemaker" by Gertek, Scholar and Shaper of Orzammar.A series of letters from Scholar to a member of House Aeducan discussing his upcoming book about the first Paragon of House Aeducan.
Series: Isana [5]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1568344





	Peacemaker

Bhelen Aeducan,  
Head of Noble House Aeducan.

I started a project recently, regarding the life and times of Paragon Aeducan. I gifted a copy of the unfinished manuscript to your brother before his banishment in the hopes that he or your Father-King might have wished to sponsor the project. The unfortunate incident has rendered that impossible. As such I look to you to continue the beneficial relationship I have enjoyed with House Aeducan and I would be honoured if you would continue your patronage.

Scholar Gertek,  
Shaper of Orzammar.

\-----

Scholar Gertek,  
Shaper of Orzammar.

A tome about Paragon Aeducan. I believe my late father would have been greatly impressed by such. Present your extracts and drafts and I will determine if this is a project house Aeducan wishes to support.

Bhelen Aeducan,  
Head of Noble House Aeducan.

\-----

Bhelen Aeducan,  
Head of Noble House Aeducan.

As was requested, I have included a more detailed manuscript copy and notes for you to peruse. Please contact me via the Shaperate if you are inclined to help with this project.

May I also say that having such a tome available now, to remind others of where your noble house came from would not be amiss.

Scholar Gertek,  
Shaper of Orzammar.

History of Aeducan: Paragon, King, and Peacemaker

Paragon Aeducan still stands as one of the greatest Paragons to which we should all strive. His birth and early life was of little note, a huge change from his later years.

When one says that a Dwarva single handedly saved the Empire it is generally an overstatement, an emphasis to show the importance of whatever matter is being talked about. Very rarely is it true. Yet in this instance, had the Paragon not done as he did, you would likely not be reading this account.

Of his Early life.

There is very little of note to be found on Aeducan's early life. There is a record of his birth, and another for his marriage, a solid alliance between two warrior houses in service to the same Noble House. There is also an entry for the birth of three daughters, a blessing for any house. Nothing else of substance is in the memories. If he entered any of the Provings they are not recorded.

As the Provings are one of the main ways to gain status, rank and prestige amongst the Warrior caste it is supposed that he simply remained a fighter in whichever Thaig he hailed from. The memories are unclear on this. Much of the history of the outermost Thaigs were lost with the onset of the first Blight.

A memory from an unnamed Shaper:

_Perhaps, ensconced in Orzammar as I was I had not understood the true scope of the danger the Empire was under. The darkness crept closer with every passing day, entire houses lost in the shadowed tunnels that were once renowned for their magnificence. Yet we Shapers continued as we were, grumbling about the refugees pouring into our halls._

_I decided it is a Shapers duty to record every detail. I set off into the deep roads to find this threat. It was there I first met Aeducan._

_He was an unnassuming warrior. There was nothing at first that made him stand out when simply looking around the small camp that had been constructed at a hastily erected barricade. His arms and armour was the same as the rest; his face as dirty and beard untrimmed. Clearly he was a warrior that did not sit back and let others fight as some commanders do._

_What did strike me a strange was the mix of Houses under his command. The Nobles were still, despite the threat being reported from the deep, fighting amongst each other. Succession bid after succession bid for command of the armies stalling or failing. It had gone on so long that the lesser houses that enjoyed their patronage, smiths, merchants, artisans, even the servants, were each taking up the fight, lest their house fall, and with it, there livelihood._

_Yet here in the deep roads was a group from Houses that should, if they followed the rest, be trying to slit each others throats in the night and instead they were fighting alongside each other. What threat, I asked on my second night watching them interact, could be so terrible to make them quite literally abandon the Noble Houses to whom they looked._

_I should not have asked that. For on the third night the Blight came upon us. Snapping and snarling they came. A flood, a tide. Their stench wafting down the once clean road. Blood and decay and things I could not name. The warriors held their ground and at the front stood Aeducan. He fought like a dwarva possessed, every strike meeting putrid flesh, every strike making the horde that had fallen upon us gibber in fear until they broke and ran. They fled back into the depths._

_Aeducan had looked at me then. Still covered in black blood, glistening in the glow of Lyrium and moss from the walls. "We lose more every night. Go back." He said. "Go back to the halls and show them what you have seen. The armies must fall under one command if we are to survive."_

_I knew he was right. The Nobles had to see. If they did not we would all be lost. How close now were we to Orzammar? Too close. I had to return. My memories now more precious than anything else._

_I gathered my armour and my staff. This could not wait. I was about to go when he stopped me, a few paces away from the rest and handed me something from under his armour. I took it automatically and he turned away, striding back to his men._

_I tucket it away, hearing the crackle of roughened parchment beneath the fabric in my hands. I should not have looked that evening when I stopped, yet upon unwrapping the bundle I saw letters. Some written in different hands, some in the same as if one has scribed for those who are not lettered. I flicked through the names, reading a sentence here and there. I realised then that I held what was last words to loved ones. I should have put them all away._

_I did not._

_I flicked through, unfolding them until I found the name I was looking for at the bottom of a sheet._

_Anika,_

_I fear this will be the time I do not return. The horde is greater than any could imagine. What folly has the surface done to unleash this from the depths? I saw the one that commands them. I know not its name or what it is. It reminded my of the great dragons from the stories of the sky, yet this was not truly like the tales, it was twisted, as tainted as the rest. What was most concerning though was that it was speaking. Commanding the horde._

_They may be mindless beasts, but they have a guide, a handler. They are being turned on us my love. They are being directed to remove us from the world. For them to reach the surface without us nipping at their heels or perhapsthey wish to have our halls as a staging ground. Either way, they are coming._

_We will fight them. We are holding on now, waiting for any who are left in the outer Thaigs to make it to what safety Orzammar represents. And then... We must present a united front. If that means going against the Nobles... Anika love, if I do not return, you must convince the rest of my brothers in arms it is the only way._

_We will win or lose this fight as one._

_No matter what, know this._

_I love you._

_Aeducan._

I must surmise, that this commander of the Darkspawn that he talked of was the Archdemon Dumat. The greatest of the old dragon Gods, corrupted by the Blight. For Aeducan to have seen him and still fight as he did. Many would have run gibbering from such a terror. 

\-----

Scholar Gertek,  
Shaper of Orzammar.

It would be welcome timing indeed. Find enclosed a standard contract.

I would look forward to reading more should you find yourself able to pass on any more extracts.

Bhelen Aeducan,  
Head of Noble House Aeducan.

\-----

Bhelen Aeducan,  
Head of Noble House Aeducan.

You have my thanks. The next chapters are coming together nicely. I have included more research notes as you appeared interested.

Scholar Gertek,  
Shaper of Orzammar.

The spread of the Blight.

The memories suggest the date of -395 to be the tipping point. it was within this year that the warrior caste that had been holding the roads finally fell back to Orzammar and the horde howled at the gates.

Still the Assembly would not listen. Still they fought. The warrior caste despaired. The lesser castes cowered in terror. Where was their King? Where were there Noble Houses? They were the ones that should be leading them. Defending them.

I can surmise that in the chaos, when panic and fear were part of daily life, one voice that seemed to know what it was doing will be listened to. Perhaps they thought he came with orders from the Assembly, perhaps they simply did not care. Aeducan gathered the people of Orzammar and gave them purpose.

The memories list many jobs which he assigned, recorded faithfully by a Shaper who must have assumed he had the authority to be giving such orders.  
The warriors he gathered regardless of house and sorted them intead by their strengths, their weaponry. He took them all, it is even suggested that some women slipped into his ranks, although this is not confimed anywhere and the memory was unclear if it was truth or not.  
He pulled the mining caste in to block tunnels, to break bridges, to fortify positions that the warriors took back.  
The smiths and artisans he enlisted in pouring out new arms and armour and other things which would make fighting a war in the deeps easier.  
The merchants he called to supply them all, for a war could not be won by starving troops.  
The servants he called away from the great halls of the Nobles, asking them instead to serve as runners and messengers, as cleaners and cooks, anything that could free up the fighters to better do their job.

\-----

Scholar Gertek,  
Shaper of Orzammar.

I have included a copy of a document that has been held by my House. If you should use it, I expect it to remain unchanged, although you may speculate upon it if you wish, I understand that to not analyse something would be out of character for a Scholar.

Bhelen Aeducan,  
Head of Noble House Aeducan.

From a scrap of parchment addressed from Jeret Saelac to Aylor Aeducan, the original is torn at the bottom.

_Aylor Aeducan,  
House Aeducan._

_My Lady should not let grief drown out other voices. Your Father-King was beloved to many and we all feel his passing. I know you do not feel they are doing him justice, for they spoke of the face he showed to Orzammar as he was returned to the Stone. I know you may hate me for saying this My Lady but it is best to let them remember him as such._

_The Blight is still out there. Darkspawn still creep in the dark. They need a hero. A Paragon._

_Let us remember him as he was. Let us be the only witnesses to how he felt regarding losing so many of the Thaigs. Why do they need to know that he could not easily sleep for the weight of that which was lost pressing down on him? Why do they need to know that your Mother-Queen was sometimes the only one who could give him the strength to continue on when reports would come in of more deaths?_

_He did not believe he had won this war. Didn't believe he had done enough._

_He did not. We know that he was right My Lady, this war will continue until every last 'spawn is dead and their taint scoured from our roads. Yet he did so much more than any other. Let him be a statue on a pedestal that others must aspire to be like. Let others try to match themselves to how they know him._

_For the more that fight as he did..._

_My Lady, I beg of you, d..._

_Jeret Saela...  
Warrior H..._

\-----

Bhelen Aeducan,  
Head of Noble House Aeducan.

That was insightful. I will indeed be able to use that. I have included a little further research, I am looking to publish soon and as such my notes are a little more inaccessible as I collect everything together.

Scholar Gertek,  
Shaper of Orzammar.

So, it was that Paragon Aeducan, despite his insubordination came to save Orzammar, if not the entire dwarven race. I say this because unchecked without us to hold back the tide over all these years all the surface could well have been lost. They forget how much blood we shed to keep them safe.

The vote held to give him status as a Paragon was recorded in the memories.

_Let the Stone record that Aeducan, formerly of Warrior House Hasrin has been elevated to the rank of Paragon by eight votes in favour and one vote to abstain. There was no discussion upon the matter. The Ancestors will is clear._

The memories then go on to indicate that the Deshyr who abstained was cut down on the floor of the Assembly hall.

The next memory should not surprise any.

_Let the Stone record that Paragon Aeducan of Noble House Aeducan has been voted King of Orzammar. May the Ancestors guide his reign._

There are many more memories remarking upon his time as King. Such was his prowess as a battlefield commander and as King that publishing them all would be impossible. A selection have been added at the back of the book with an index dated by year. 

The last memory recorded of Paragon Aeducan is as follows:

_Let the Stone mark the passing of Paragon Aeducan, beloved King, to the Stone. May the ancestors welcome him with open arms._

The strength of his line is such that there have been nine Kings from House Aeducan, more than any other House has produced. It is a strength that I believe will continue as long as Orzammar endures.

\-----

Scholar Gertek,  
Shaper of Orzammar.

I look forward to the publishing when you have it finished.

Bhelen Aeducan,  
Head of Noble House Aeducan.

\-----

Bhelen Aeducan,  
King of Orzammar, Tenth of his House,  
Head of Noble House Aeducan.

It appears to have been a success, the demand surpassed the copies I had created. I have enclosed an edited first edition binding for your House. (Future editions will require the same minor change regarding the number of Kings from your house).  
And may I give you my congratulations on your position. I look forward to any further collaborations.

Scholar Gertek  
Shaper of Orzammar


End file.
